From: douglas.hayworth@perbio.com
Date: Thu Sep 26 2002 - 09:15:42 EDT
During my graduate school years in the evolutionary biology program at
Washington University in St. Loius (the '90s) I knew of at least 2 students
who came from BYU and/or were active Mormons. They were apparently given
license to do evolutionary biology without criticism from church leaders.
Likewise, another person in the department graduated and obtained a faculty
position at BYU (Keith Crandall is his name). He does straight-up
population genetics and evolutionary biology. Although I know he must
abide by certain behavioral rules (no alcohol, etc.), he is not at all
limited in what he can research and teach about evolutionary biology.
Doug
"bivalve"
<bivalve@mail.davidson.alu To: <asa@calvin.edu>
mlink.com> cc:
Sent by: Subject: Re:
Mormons and science
asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu
09/25/02 04:22 PM
BYU faculty are not necessarily Mormon, though they apparently have
to agree to obey some of the external legalistic issues such as no
caffeine or alcohol. A grad student from the lab here just
transfered to BYU for work on evolutionary biology, neither her nor
the professor there being Mormon. She was talking about the evasive
tactics necessary to get coffee or beer.
I believe there is official acceptance by the main Mormon sect of an
old earth, though individuals may have YEC leanings. Archaeology
would be more of a problem than evolution, although the biogeographic
errors in the Book of Mormon would have connections to mammalian
evolution. Comparative literary studies could also raise trouble,
especially given the close resemblance between the Book of Mormon and
a slightly previously published novel, in addition to Mark Twain's
observations on its resemblance to the Bible with the good parts left
out.
Relatively few denominationally-affiliated schools are big enough to
have a publication series on geology, even if they are favorably
inclined towards geology.
Dr. David Campbell
Old Seashells
University of Alabama
Biodiversity & Systematics
Dept. Biological Sciences
Box 870345
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 USA
bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com
That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted
Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at
Droitgate Spa
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